Unit GENETICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY OF FOOD CROPS

Course
Economics and culture of human nutrition
Study-unit Code
80910504
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Luigi Russi
Teachers
  • Luigi Russi
Hours
  • 54 ore - Luigi Russi
CFU
6
Course Regulation
Coorte 2021
Offered
2022/23
Learning activities
Caratterizzante
Area
Discipline della sicurezza e della valutazione degli alimenti
Academic discipline
AGR/07
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
Organization of the hereditary material. Structure and replication of the DNA. From DNA to proteins: from genotype to phenotype, the genetic code, transcription and translation. Genes and alleles. Encoding and regulating regions. Elements of epigenetics. Chromosomes, cell cycle and cell division. Mendelian genetics. Fundamentals of gene interaction, multiple alleles, X-linked traits, mutations. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium of populations. Origin and evolution of crop plants. Crop plant biodiversity and the role of local varieties and landraces. Fundamentals of plant breeding. Genetic biotecnologies: present and future applications. Detecting GMO in food.
Reference texts
1. Lorenzetti F., Ceccarelli S., Rosellini D. Veronesi F. Genetica agraria. Patron Editore 2012.
2. Lecture notes and other study materials provided by the lecturer and loaded in Unistudium.
Educational objectives
Provide the student with the basic scientific knowledge and the application aspects of genetics and genetic biotechnology to understand phenomena involved in food production processes and nutrition. The genetic improvement applied to the most important agricultural species is addressed in order to have a historical and chronological view of what occurred in terms of genetic modification of food plant species: from ancient local varieties to improved varieties.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching methods
The course is organized in classroom lectures on subjects listed in the programme, exercises about given topics, with solutions of simple questions of genetics, and written tests based on closed, open or multiple choice answers.
Other information
1. Period of lectures and exams: 19 September 2021 - 24 February 2023.
2. Attendance at class lectures and practicals is strongly advised.
3. The study material provided by the lecturer (slides, notes, scientific papers, etc.) is available to enrolled students on the UNISTUDIUM platform (www.unistudium.unipg.it)
Learning verification modality
Oral exam.
Extended program
Lectures: Organization of the hereditary material. Structure and replication of the DNA. From DNA to proteins: from genotype to phenotype, the genetic code, transcription and translation. Genes and alleles. Encoding and regulating regions. Elements of epigenetics. Chromosomes, cell cycle and cell division (mitosis and meiosis). Mendelian genetics. Fundamentals of gene interaction, multiple alleles, mutations. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium of populations. Origin and evolution of crop plants. Crop plant biodiversity and the role of local varieties and landraces. Fundamentals of plant breeding in inbreeding, outbreeding and clonally propagated species. Genetic biotecnologies: present and future applications. How GMOs are prepared. Detecting GMO in food. Practicals: Classroom exercises of genetics on the transmission of simple mendelian traits and on population genetics. DNA extraction.
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